The present invention pertains generally to reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece during operation of a machine. More particularly, the present invention pertains to an apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable rotor removably attached to a rotatable machine member. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a brake rotor attached to a rotatable machine member during a turning procedure.
Gravity, friction, velocity of rotation, and load forces are applied during operation to bearings, drive shafts, driven shafts, turning spindles, rotors, retaining devices, and other components of driving and driven machines (collectively, xe2x80x9cmachine membersxe2x80x9d). Circular rotation of shafts mounted in bearings gives rise to centripetal force, a force that is reacted to by centrifugal reaction. Angular velocity and angular acceleration of rotatable base pieces subjected not only to certain velocities, but also to loads or pressure, also may induce gyroscopic effects on rotatable base pieces that are attached to a rotatable machine member turning or rotatable rapidly. Machine members, and base pieces attached to machine members, also may be subjected to significant loads about the geometric and rotational axes of a rotatable base piece. As is commonly known, when two forces act on a shaft, spindle, pin, axle or similar rod or assembly (collectively, xe2x80x9cshaftxe2x80x9d), a torque may be formed whose vector along an x-axis may produce a rotation about the y-axis known as precession. Such rotation may generate significant angular velocities. These forces, phenomena, torque and related effects may individually and collectively contribute to inducing nonuniform rotation of abase piece that has been attached to a rotatable shaft (collectively, xe2x80x9cforcesxe2x80x9d).
In connection with a rotatable machine member in which angular accelerations and velocities are present, unbalanced forces may lead to high harmonics and vibrations. Further, in some, but not all instances, if the speed of rotation of a shaft is slowly increased from rest, a speed may be achieved at which a deflection increases suddenly, a phenomenon known as xe2x80x9cwhirling.xe2x80x9d A shaft that is balanced will rotate around the center of gravity or axis of rotation of a shaft. If a shaft rotates at an angular velocity, however, the shaft may deflect a distance from the center of gravity or axis of rotation due to centripetal reaction. Rotation also may induce undamped free vibrations. All of these forces and phenomena, and others, may contribute to nonuniform rotation of the shaft, and consequent nonuniform rotation of a base piece attached to a machine member mounted on the shaft. This is particularly, but not exclusively, true in machine members on which brake rotors are mounted for turning purposes, such as refinishing or resurfacing a brake rotor. A machine used to refinish or resurface a brake rotor generally includes a driving motor, a driven or turning shaft, one or more retaining devices attached to the shaft for removably mounting a base piece such as a brake rotor on the one or more retaining devices, and one or more cutting tools that may engage a surface of a brake rotor to be refinished or resurfaced.
During refinishing or resurfacing of a base piece such as a brake rotor, the forces and phenomena described above may cause harmonics and vibrations that are transmitted to the brake rotor during rotation. Any nonuniform rotation of the brake rotor during operation may cause a cutting tool to produce an inferior refinished or resurfaced surface. While numerous apparatus have been suggested to attempt to reduce harmonics and vibrations in a rotatable base piece such as a brake rotor, none has proven entirely successful, and none has proven as useful and inexpensive as the present invention.
The problem to be solved, therefore, is reduction of harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece that is removably attached to a rotatable machine member during operation of a machine. Further, what is needed is an apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable brake rotor, whether vented or unvented, that is useful for producing a more precisely turned and resurfaced brake rotor.
One of the advantages of the novel apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece, according to the present invention, is that the apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece produces a more precisely turned and resurfaced brake rotor. Another advantage of the present invention is an apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece that dampens noises and vibrations during operation of the machine on which the rotatable base piece is removably attached. The present invention also has the advantage not only of simplicity, but a simplicity that results in enhanced mechanical advantages over other apparatus suggested for solving the problems. Further, contrary to accepted and conventional wisdom, applicant has established that using solely the structural elements disclosed and claimed in this document results in greater dampening, or greater reduction of harmonics and vibrations, when the present invention is used on a rotatable base piece such as a rotor like a brake rotor.
Thus, the present invention requires fewer components than is required for other apparatus, yet achieves significantly enhanced reduction of noises, vibrations and harmonics during operation. Specifically, the apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece such as a brake rotor, according to the present invention, includes a series of chain links formed into a belt assembly. The two ends of the belt assembly are connectable to opposing ends of a connector. The connector includes, but is not limited to, a spring member that includes a trailing link and a following link. In operation, the present invention does not require more components than a belt assembly of chain links and a connector. Further, use of shorter length chain links to assemble the belt assembly of chain links, in combination with the nonidentical length arms extending monolithically from the ends of spring members of the present invention, applicant has established that adding any additional mechanical components to the invention would decrease the mechanical advantages of the present invention. Thus, no additional devices or apparatus need or should be added either to the belt assembly of chain links or to the connector to significantly enhance reduction of noises, vibrations and harmonics during operation. Thus, the present invention results in more efficient reduction of harmonics and vibrations without having to employ or deploy on the apparatus additional blocks, bands, clip members, tubes, disks, dampener blocks, and similar elements, regardless of shape or the material (collectively, xe2x80x9cadditional elementsxe2x80x9d). By omitting such additional elements, a user of the present invention is not concerned with whether the apparatus are in an xe2x80x9cupxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdownxe2x80x9d configuration when installed for use. Rather, any contact facet of the collar of each plate forming the interconnected chain links may be placed in contact with the surface of a rotatable base piece. Elimination of additional elements to the apparatus contributes to achieving significantly more dampening of harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece.
In addition, use of comparatively small plates to make the chain links forming the belt assembly provides more surface contact between the belt assembly and the rotatable base piece, which also contributes to the capability of the present invention to more completely reduce vibrations and harmonics. Each of the plurality of interconnected chain links is sized for maximum contact with the contact surface of the rotatable base piece, thus providing significantly more contact facets that in turn provide significantly more surfaces that rest on the contact surface of the rotatable base piece during operation. The greater the totality of contact between the contact facets of the chain links, and the contact surface of the rotatable base piece, the greater the effect of reducing the problems associated with harmonics and vibrations.
At least one more mechanical advantage is provided by including in an embodiment of the present invention nonidentical length arms extending monolithically from one or more spring members, with substantially semi-circular hook members. Thus, the nonidentical length arms with substantially semi-circular hook members contribute to quick but secure locking of the belt assembly to a variety of different sized rotatable base pieces having different diameters by locking securely around the rods in the chain links in the trailing link and the following link. The nonidentical length arms with substantially semi-circular hook members contribute to quick but secure locking of the belt assembly to a variety of rotatable base pieces having different diameters even if the user elects to skip one or more chain links in the belt assembly. The secure locking achieved by the user""s ability to select from one or more nonidentical length spring members further contributes to maximum continuous contact between the collars of the plates of the chain links, and the contact surface of the rotatable base piece, resulting in greater reduction of vibrations and harmonics.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece, such as a brake rotor, that may be easily and efficiently manufactured. Another advantage of the present invention is its durability and reliable construction. An even further advantage of an apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece, according to the present invention, is its low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor. Thus, another advantage of the present invention is a apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece and a method for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece which respectively are easy to use and to practice, and which are cost effective for their intended purposes.
These advantages and other objects and features of such apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece will become apparent to those skilled in the art when read in conjunction with the accompanying following detailed description, drawing figures, and appended claims.
An apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece, according to the present invention, includes a plurality of chain links. The plurality of chain links are interconnected to form a belt assembly the two ends of which are not interconnected. The belt assembly has a leading end and a following end. The chain links are interconnected between the leading end and the following end. An apparatus for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece also includes at least a spring member. The spring member is connectable to the leading end and the following end of the belt. The spring member assists in mounting the belt a assembly to a rotatable base piece. The belt assembly, for example, may be attached to a rotatable brake rotor for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece during rotation of the brake rotor.
More specifically, as will be shown below in greater detail, a system for reducing harmonics and vibrations of a rotatable base piece, such as a rotor like a brake rotor needing refinishing or other machining, includes interconnected chain links that are smaller than conventional or common practice. The smaller chain links are selected and sized for maximum contact with the rotatable base piece. In part this is achieved by forming chain links having a plurality of plates. The plates have opposing sides. A collar is formed between the opposing sides of each of the plates. At least two bores are formed through the plurality of plates between the opposing sides. A rod is removably insertable through each of the bores. The rod holds the chain links together, or may be removed to shorten the length of the belt assembly formed by the interconnected chain links having a leading end and a following end. The collar includes at least two contact facets. The at least two contact facets are positionable against a contact surface on the base piece. In addition, one or more demountably selectively attachable connectors for securing the plurality of chain links to the rotatable base piece is provided, preferably a spring member. The spring members are sized to accommodate varying dimensions of the at least one contact surface of the rotatable base piece. The spring members include nonidentical length arms extending monolithically from the ends of the spring members. A semi-circular hook member is included at each end of the nonidentical length arms for demountably locking securely the open-ended belt assembly to the at least one contact surface.
The foregoing has outlined broadly the more important features of the invention to better understand the detailed description that follows, and to better understand the contribution of the present invention to the art. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in application to the details of construction, and to the arrangements of the components, provided in the following description or drawing figures. The invention is capable of other embodiments, and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology employed in this disclosure are for purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the conception on which this disclosure is based may be readily used as a basis for designing other structures, cooperation of structure, methods, and systems for carrying out the purposes of the present invention. The claims, therefore, include such equivalent constructions to the extent the equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The abstract associated with this disclosure is neither intended to define the invention, which is measured by the claims, nor intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.